1940 - 1949

1940

1942

Perhaps the most remarkable task carried out by African Oxygen during the war, however, began with the British and Allied campaign against the Japanese in the Far East. Here one of the major problems was the need for the so-called Automatic Tube Welding plant, for the famous 2-inch pipe across the route of the Burma Road. African Oxygen were given a rough drawing of a German blow-pipe, allegedly capable of welding 7 inches per minute. Carefully copied at the Germiston works, it was tried out and found far too slow. Further experiments began, and within a short time it was possible to weld pipes at the rate of 28 feet per minute.

1946

East African Oxygen & Acetylene formed, first operating from Mombasa and later Nairobi.